Lake Naivasha National Park is a beautiful conservation area stretching along the floor of the Great Rift Valley region, the park is named after a rift valley Lake Naivasha found within the protected area, its name is derived from the Masai language a word called Naiposha meaning “Rough water”. The lake is one of the few freshwater Lakes in Kenya. The National Park is home to an extinct volcano known as Mountain Logonot, it was gazette in 1995 covering an area space of approximately 140 square kilometers rising about 1,890 meters above sea level. Bests its vibrant bird life and wildlife species it is home to many flowers grown for export.
Lake Naivasha National Park is dominated by Acacia trees stretching along the banks of the Lake it is a great birding destination and most sought after by travelers on their Kenyan safaris, not forgetting the amazing boat safari to Crescent Island Game sanctuary a haven of life featuring giraffes, Zebras, and other herbivores, the Lake Naivasha is a shallow seasonal lake with water levels rising higher in the wet season compared to the usual dry season. Mountain Longonot is an extinct volcano overlooking the conservation area it is hardly missed, it rises to 2776 meters above sea level, and hikes to the top of the crater rim take 4 hours to the summit.
The conservation area is a known Ramser site listed as an important wetland area of Kenya, it consists of Lake Naivasha and acacia woodlands, the lake is fed by 2 permanent rivers of Malewa and Gilgil, plus other seasonal rivers some of which originate from the Aberdare ranges, the variety ecosystems act as home to abundant wildlife species popular sites include hippos, wildebeests, Zebras, Masai Giraffes, bat-eared fox, kirks dik-dik, bushbucks, vervet monkeys, warthogs, white-tailed mongoose, spring hares to mention a few. Within the Lake, several fish species can be caught for example tilapia and crayfish. Over 300 species of birds have been recorded in the national park to date expect to see birds such as pelicans, sunbirds, African fish eagles, hornbills, and flamingoes to mention a few.
Things to do in Lake Naivasha National Park include Game drives through the well-distributed trails of the park, you will have a close view of a variety of animal species for example waterbucks, giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, wildebeests among other species. Game drives are conducted in sessions, in the morning, afternoon, and evening time, the early morning time is the best time to experience wildlife.
Lake Naivasha National Park offers great birding experiences, it is home to several kinds of birds like wood dove, whistling duck, herons, egrets, sunbirds, greater and lesser flamingoes, ring-necked doves, great spotted cuckoos, class cuckoos, birding in the national park is best done during the wet season, it an all green fruiting season which attracts many travelers to the national park. Hiking the Mountain Longonot is one of the many things to do, the mountain is a dormant volcanic feature overlooking the Great Rift Valley region.
Lake Naivasha National Park can be visited any time of the year but best during the dry season between the months of December-February and June –September it is the most amazing time to do several tourism activities in the park.